We, The Portal Masters
by XandyPants
Summary: To be a portal master isn't easy. It's not glamorous, it's not glorious. It is dark and dangerous, and the decisions we make affect not only us, but the rest of Skylands as well. A series of portal master one shots I'll write from time to time related to a much larger project I have in the works. Ideas and prompts are always welcome. Rated T for themes.
1. Aftermath

**WARNING - CHAPTER CONTAINS DEATH / COARSE LANGUAGE**  
 _and depending on where you're at, it might be a little gory._  
 _Don't like? Don't read. Skip to the next chapter or find something else._

 _Welcome to my series of one shots exploring life behind the title of 'Portal Master', and what it means to give up everything and start over in a new world. Most, if not all of these will be connected with a larger project currently in the works. Feel free to p.m me if you're curious. I could always use more portal masters._

 _These are in no particular order_

* * *

 **Aftermath**

The storm that had hit the region surrounding the Citadel had been one of the worst in recorded history. Trees had snapped like match sticks, buildings had collapsed as if they were made of cards and statues had toppled like dominoes. The Citadel itself had been fortunate, and sustained very little in the way of damages. With no permanent buildings yet constructed, there was nothing much aside from trees and shrubs for the winds and lashing rains to destroy. The portal masters and Skylanders had emerged from the emergency bunker completely unharmed, but the same could not be said for the rest of the region. Eon's team were already inundated with calls for help, with more pouring in by the second. A small team had remained at the Citadel to protect the newly rebuilt Core of Light while every other available hand had gone out to aid wherever they could. Straight from one crisis to another, both portal master and skylander alike were longing for a chance to rest and relax.

From his location on the small island he had been assigned to, Adam looked out over the vast nothingness of open sky, towards the retreating super cell as it continued on the path to batter the regions located further south. The storm hadn't felt natural, and the Life portal master just couldn't shake the feeling that they hadn't seen the last super storm of the season.  
Captain Flynn was lurking between islands, trawling slowly on the _Dread Yacht,_ ready to offer assistance if signaled by a red flare that many of the portal masters and Skylanders now carried. Adam had his securely attached to his belt as he worked to help Prowess lift debris from ruined houses in search of survivors. The portal master was cold, the rain from the edge of the storm still falling in miserable sheets. It had already soaked through his jeans and shirt to chill his skin but he did his best to ignore it. There were others far worse off and in need of his help. To be a portal master was to be selfless and place the needs of others above your own.  
With a final heave, he and Prowess managed to lift what was left of a stone wall and move it to the side. Underneath, the remains of a male mabu met their eyes. He hadn't been quick enough to escape the house and had been crushed under the slab as it fell. He had been popped like a bug, and Adam could barely keep the contents of his own stomach to himself. He turned away from the grisly sight and heaved.

"At least it was quick."  
A surprisingly gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder as his fingers fumbled with the spray can in his belt. They would have to mark the house to let those dealing with the unfortunate ones know that another corpse had been found here. Prowess did not meet his eyes when he turned to look back at her, but he gave her an unsure smile all the same. Sure she was rough, rude, and often kept her thoughts to herself, but for someone who had known her for almost five years, Prowess was actually pretty easy to read.  
He reached up to place a hand over the one she still had on his shoulder to let her know that he was alright. It was also an invitation, if she needed someone, he would be there for her. Prowess gave a brief nod before pulling her hand away. This was as 'touchy feely' as she got and Adam knew not to push it. Prowess was tough and she would most likely handle this better than he would. Silently she turned back to the scene to search around the body for any signs of someone else who might be trapped while Adam left to mark the path outside for the body collectors. He was grateful that corpse collection had not been his assignment.

His hand stilled as the last stroke on the Skylandian glyph for 'dead' was sprayed onto the path. Above that he had sprayed a single line for the dead mabu with room to add more should they find any other deceased. It wrenched his heart as he stared at the single strike. An entire life summarized by a simple mark of a paint, now nothing but a number on an ever-growing list. This was the side of the job that the portal masters rarely spoke of, the part that no one had ever warned them about. The offer of fame and glory drew in new recruits, but only those that could stomach the darker side would ever achieve them.  
A high-pitched gasp drew the portal master from his thoughts as he tore his eyes from the tally. Usually he would pay no heed to such noises, but as this island was deathly quiet at the current moment, his gut told him that something was very wrong.  
Wasting no time, he recapped the spray can and stuffed it back into the holster on his belt beside the flare gun before making his way back to where he had left Prowess. He saw that she had cleared away some of the smaller bits of rubble to reveal a cellar below.

"Prow?"  
When he got no response from his friend, panic began to bubble within his chest. "Prow? Answer me! Damn it woman!"

"Adam, shut your fucking mouth! I'm fine." Prowess hissed as she emerged from the darkness. The dark-haired woman looked annoyed, but the expression quickly melted as she looked down to the bundle in her arms. It was now that Adam realized that his fellow portal master had removed the jacket that she had been wearing.  
Adam raised a brow at his friend and slowly approached to peek at what she had found. He was not surprised in the slightest when a blunt, furry nose twitched from within the folds of the warm jacket. Almost from the moment she had allowed him into her inner circle, Adam had known that Prowess held a secret fondness for little fluffy creatures, be they kittens, puppies or something else entirely. He would even go as far as to say that such creatures were a weakness for the usually brooding Undead portal master. She, of course, would never admit to such a thing, but he had known her long enough to know the truth.

"Prowess." Adam folded his arms over his chest as he looked at his friend with the sternest expression he could muster. If he didn't nip this in the bud now, it would only get worse, and with everything else going on, they didn't need anything extra to deal with. "That is a baby mabu."

"I'm know what it is, Fuckface. I'm not stupid."

"Then you are aware that you cannot keep it."

Prowess glared up from her bundle of joy and Adam wanted to shrink back into his own shadow. They may have been friends, but Prowess was still terrifying when moody. "He needs me," she spat.

"He needs his mother. That," he motioned to the area of the mabu corpse with a grim expression, "was probably his father. We need to find her or at least someone able to care for him. He needs to be with his own kind."

"I could care for him!"

"Do you lactate mabu milk?" He knew she would probably beat him for that comment but it if was the only way to get through to her then he would gladly take the beating. She certainly looked like she wanted to end his life with the way she was glaring. He decided to push his luck further and added to the insult. "Do you want another Hugo running around the Citadel? Or perhaps you'd prefer another Flynn? I know how fond you are of both."

That seemed to work as the glazed over appearance of her eyes cleared.

"Y-yeah. You're right. I don't have the time to raise a child. Let's find someone to watch him while we try to find the rest of his family, or at least more survivors. Here. You take him. I can't picture anything by a miniature Flynn now. Thanks for that, Asswipe."

The Life portal master smirked triumphantly as the child was shoved into his arms. His companion stomped off towards what was left of the village centre. He let her go on ahead, she would need time to cool off anyway. There was only so far that he could push before she would snap and now that the risk of adopting orphan mabus had passed he could safely give her all the space she needed.  
Adjusting the bundle to sit more comfortably in his arms, Adam turned back to what was left of the house. There were still blocks and slabs too heavy for them to shift. A giant would have to be summoned for the search to continue, but perhaps there was still hope. This tiny mabu had survived, his father had probably stashed him in the strongest room of the house and ultimately saved his son, but at the cost of his own life. The mabu was a hero, and Adam would ensure he would be remembered for it. He decided to try one final time and shouted through the silence settling over the area.

"THIS IS PORTAL MASTER XANDYPANTS SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME AND REQUIRE ASSISTANCE PLEASE MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN!"

When no responses reached him Adam finally turned from the destruction and gently bounced the whimpering mabu cub as he began the short walk to the evacuation centre. The rain had eased for the moment, but it would most likely return soon.  
"I wish my daddy had been as awesome as yours."

* * *

 _A little somethin' somethin' for Undead Prowess as a thank you for always being there when I need a shoulder, and for your assistance with my project  
_

 _The dynamic between portal masters Prowess and Adam is a love/hate friendship, and honestly I love writing them because of it. There will be more in future._

 _-Adam_


	2. Midnight Gremlins

**Midnight Gremlins**

Seraph groaned as she reached up to scratch her scalp in frustration. She must have had paced the distance of the entire island three times by now and still there was no sign of Gremlin. The little demon must have escaped out of the bathroom window again. The screen was loose and he had figured out that if he pushed on it with enough force, the frame would pop out and leave a gap just large enough for him to squeeze out. He had done it twice before, both times during the past week, and she was getting fed up with it. She had promised Master Eon that she would keep the animal she had brought from Earth in her quarters and keep him a secret from the other portal masters. If word got out that someone had brought their pet into Skylands then everyone would want to do so and the Citadel would be overrun with creatures from Earth. The results of an escaped pet on the delicate ecosystem of Skylands had the potential to be disastrous. She had promised that the cat in question was neutered as a precaution and that he would be a strictly indoor cat. Well, what a joke that last point was turning out to be.

She and Adam were the oldest two Portal Masters currently working for Eon and with that came certain expectations. They were looked upon as leaders and quite often the other residential portal masters would approach them for advice. While Seraph had been in Skyands for five years, Adam had been here for nearly six. Together they had a pooled wisdom that the newer recruits often relied upon. It was too bad that the Life portal master was often quite lazy and relied upon her to keep him motivated.  
Unbeknownst to the other portal masters currently living at the Citadel, Seraph and Adam were granted more perks than anyone else as a reward for taking on the role of a 'senior'. Eon trusted them in their elected roles and was happy enough to let them continue, so long as they continued to keep things running smoothly and refrained from taking advantage of their position or those around them. As a show of trust, Eon had allowed Seraph to bring the stray cat she had rescued before her tenure as a Portal Master into Skylands. The little black stray had been her last emotional tie to Earth and with him finally by her side, the blonde woman could completely sever her ties, give up her dual citizenship and remain happily in Skylands for the rest of her days.

"Gremlin!" She hissed into the darkness as she made her way back towards her personal cabin. There were many trees and shrubs surrounding the small building and he could have been hiding anywhere. This was not at all how she had planned things. He was supposed to remain inside and be content with that. She had planned to build a cat run behind her cabin where the others wouldn't see. They were going to be happy and curl up to go to sleep together every night, but instead she now found herself trampling through the freezing darkness looking for a jet-black cat. He could have been standing right before her and she'd have never seen him. "Shit! Where are you? You little beast!"

With numb fingers, she clumsily pulled her phone from her pocket. A message from Adam appeared at the top of the screen but she swiped it aside to read later. If it was important enough he would call. She had other things to worry about. She had already run into a few of the other resident portal masters that had stopped her to ask if she'd seen a black cat running around. Of course, she had denied it, but her hurried exit from the area may have given her game away. She just hoped that the others wouldn't catch on.

Her hands were shaking as she finally managed to unlock her phone and find the correct app to turn her device into a torch. With any luck, she'd shine the light right on him and his eye shine would give him away. "What am I going to do?" The others had been searching around the Core so she couldn't return there. Lingering in the back of her mind was the sickening thought that he had made it to the edge of the island and had simply dropped off. No one knew what existed below the cloud barrier. It was said that eternal storms raged constantly down there and that anyone unlucky enough to fall through was fried before they had the chance to die from anything else.

No.  
Seraph shook her head. She could feel the tears stinging at the corners of her eyes but she blinked them away. Gremlin would never venture too close to the edge. He was too smart for that, and too nervous around strangers to make it that far to begin with. The only people that he knew, aside from herself, were Adam and Prowess. They had been there to welcome him to Skylands on his first night and it had taken him over two hours of watching them and secretly creeping closer to sniff them just for them to be able to pet him briefly. He had met both a few more times since then, but as far as she was aware, he was still pretty damn shy around them.  
With her hand clutching her phone so tightly, Seraph nearly jumped out of her skin when the device buzzed again. She looked at the name and scowled. It was just Adam, again. She swiped the notification to the side and entered her dark cabin. A quick search revealed nothing new and the now disheartened portal master let a few tears of frustration and worry slip before steeling herself once again and heading out, only this time she decided to leave her door open just slightly in case her missing friend decided to finally come home.

* * *

Delicate moonlight filtered down through the forming clouds and splashed the sands along the beach with an eerie glow. Waves gently lapped up as far as the tide would allow them before they rolled back to reform and try again. It was currently low tide and much of the beach was exposed. The dock that often held moored ships was completely exposed as well as the sands below it. Thick wooden pillars that had turned green with age and algae jutted from the still damp sands to support the weather beaten wooden planks of the dock. Seraph walked around the odd exposure with her phone shining brightly. It was certainly the kind of place a curious kitty might endeavour to explore. It was peaceful and she was certain that there were many interesting smells a delicate kitty nose could detect, as well as endless hiding spots, but unfortunately, there was no trace of her cat here. The only footprints indented in the sand were from her own bare feet. Seraph regretted her decision to leave her shoes at the stone steps. The sand was freezing and her feet were starting to ache but she couldn't give up. If he was down here, then she would find him. Shivering from the frigid wind rolling in off the water she continued her search, ducking under the dock to check, just in case, and trying to ignore the odd drip of freezing water landing on her skin.

The blonde woman squealed in surprise when a sharp pain raced from the smallest toe on her left foot. She stumbled back out from under the structure and lifted her foot to stare in disbelief at the cause of the pain. What she saw almost made her laugh, and if not for the pinching pain then she probably would have. A small red crab was gripping her toe and bubbling at the mouth as it waved a free claw at her. She must have accidentally stepped on him and now he was upset, but how did one apologise to a crab?  
"I'm sorry?" She questioned, unsure of herself. She had never spoken to a crab so small before. "I didn't mean to."

"You talk to crabs, Portal Master? Boy, and they think I'M the crazy one." Trigger Happy snorted as he bounced over the sand to look at her attacker. "Can I eat it?"  
Seraph recoiled in disgust as the small gremlin's oversized tongue lolled from the side of his mouth as he eyed the crustacean hanging from her toe.  
"No you can't eat him! What would Wham Shell think?" She leaned against one of the dock's pylons to maintain her balance as she warily watched the tech Skylander now opening salivating over the crab.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him!" The speech was followed by lip smacking and a round of manic laughter.

"Back up Trigg. Leave him be." If she could just convince the little bugger to release her toe then she could put him somewhere safe and both would be free to continue on their way.

"Aww, you're no fun. Prow would have let me." That got her attention.  
Her nostrils almost seemed to flare, much to Trigger Happy's delight, his golden eyes glinting in the torch light. "No, she would not!" Trigger Happy was known for trying to play one portal master against another. To the pint sized terror it was a game. Sometimes he got what he wanted, and other times he got the funny, angry reactions that amused him so. It was a win/win situation in every case!  
"What are you doing here anyway?" Surely no one had seen her heading towards the beach. She had been so careful, and had remained in the shadows where possible.

"I heard you were looking for a gremlin, so I brought you one!" He pointed a short, stubby hand behind her, and when she turned to follow where he was pointing to she was met with another grin one could only akin to madness. Trigger Happy let loose another round of manic laughter before bounding towards Pop Fizz and vaulting himself up to sit on the larger gremlin's head. He grabbed the large, blue furred ears on either side of him and proceeded to tug and move them to steer the other gremlin closer. Pop Fizz's eye twitched but he walked forward regardless and smiled at his favourite portal master, even going so far as to give her an over enthusiastic bow. The action threw the other from his head, a slight snicker from Seraph being his reward before the amusement was gone. He didn't miss the tired look in her eyes and decided to get straight to the point.

"I also heard you were looking for a gremlin, so I have also brought you one!" Grabbing Trigger Happy by the scruff of the neck, Pop Fizz held the squirming bundle of russet fur up proudly. Seraph sighed as she tried to keep her frustration from showing. The gremlins were crazy and she loved working with them. They always made her smile, even if at times she felt like yanking her hair out from all the stress they gave her. Usually she was wonderful at handling them but tonight her patience was wearing thin.

Trigger Happy whined as he watched her finally detach the crab and set it free. He struggled against Pop's grip, writhing and wriggling desperately to free himself before his snack got away.

"Sorry dude. Can't feed you after midnight. You know what happens." Once the crab was gone, the larger of the two set his smaller charge back onto the sand. Trigger Happy's ears drooped as he looked to where the crab had gone.  
"Bad stuff," was all he muttered before looking up to his friend. "I know."

Seraph watched the two in disbelief. "Who," she began to question, but was cut off by a knowing smirk.

"Prowess," Pop Fizz answered while scratching behind his ear. When his foot began to twitch, he promptly stopped in embarrassment. "If we're not the gremlins you're looking for, then we can take you to a place filled with gremlins!"  
"YES!" Trigger Happy hollered as he leapt up to grab her hand. "GREMLIN NIGHTCLUB!" Pop Fizz grabbed the woman's other hand with the intent to drag her up the beach and towards the _Dread Yacht._

* * *

It had taken her nearly an hour of struggling to ditch the gremlins. They had dragged her back up the beach towards the stone stairs and she'd barely had time to grab her shoes. They had only stopped briefly to allow her to put them back on when she had complained about not being able to feel her feet at all before the onslaught had continued. She was slightly disturbed that those who had witnessed the spectacle had done nothing to help her and had simply watched. Some had even laughed at the sight of a woman being dragged along by a much stronger gremlin and with a smaller one hanging from her arm, 'helping' the first.  
They had dragged her right past the core, past the Portal Master Lounge, all the time with her fighting them, kicking out and yelling for help. Cali, the Citadel's resident fitness and heroic challenge coordinator, had eventually been her savior. The female mabu had halted the trio and demanded to know exactly where they were going when it was well past midnight. She promptly denied them access to Flynn's ship and when an argument had broken out, Seraph had taken the opportunity to slip away and back to her cabin to hide. A nightclub full of gremlins was the last thing she needed. There was only one she wanted but it appeared that he still hadn't come home.  
Defeat finally engulfed her. Leaving her door open had left the cold in and it would take quite some time for her apartment to warm up. Gremlin wasn't likely to return to a cold home, he was spoiled that way and demanded the very best, so she gave up and closed the door before switching on the heating. There was no use in moping around in the cold and getting herself sick, she would just have to face the music and speak to Eon in the morning. No use in dwelling on something she no longer had control over, Seraph pulled her jacket closer to her body and once again strode out into the night.

The path to Adam's cabin was one she knew well. They weren't next door to each other but they were still close. She'd probably end up killing him if they were neighbors. Three Portal Masters separated them, and four others separated him from Prowess. Adam's cabin served as a meeting place more often than not, thus he had ended up giving both women a spare key should they ever find his door locked. Seraph stuffed her phone back into the pocket of her oversized coat as she neared the familiar destination. She had forgotten about his text messages up until that point but decided not to read them. Whatever he wanted, he could ask her to her face. She slipped her hand from her sleeve to knock, before deciding against it, and simply sliding the heavy glass door open to let herself in.

A rush of warm air embraced her as she closed the door behind her and slid the thick black curtain back into place. She shrugged off her coat and hung it from one of the pegs in the wall before slipping off her shoes and sighing contently as the warmth of the floorboards seeped through her socks and brought a surge of feeling back into her feet. Her toes tingled in her socks and she could have sworn that they were melting, the only evidence to suggest otherwise was the lack of puddles when she stepped away. No wicked witch jokes tonight!  
On the counter at the end of the entrance hallway she noticed his laptop was sitting beside a pile of paperwork. The screen had gone to sleep and little bubbles were colliding against each other and changing colours as they did. Whatever work her friend had been doing had been discarded some time ago. Typical. He was probably gaming.  
"Adam?" She called out as she pressed on. If he wasn't in the living room he would either be in his bedroom or in the shower. If that were the case she would simply make herself at home until he was decent.  
"Here," he called out from the living room, much to her relief. She really didn't want to deal with any potentially embarrassing situations tonight after everything else she'd been through.

What the blonde portal master saw when she entered the living room left her speechless. It wasn't the state of the room, which appeared to have had a small twister rip through, it wasn't the paused children's game on the screen, it wasn't even the way Adam had draped himself over the armchair with his legs hanging out over the arm rest and his head resting on the other, or that he was still in the clothes he had been wearing all day, even though his mission had ended just after lunch. What had stopped Seraph in her tracks was the mass of black fur sprawled out on his back over her friend's chest, one paw hooked around Adam's face to keep him in place while he snuggled his head against the human's neck.

"You stole my cat? I've been out looking for him EVERYWHERE and he was HERE the whole time?" Seraph had never felt so livid with her friend. Adam blanched at her tone before scowling back at her.

"Didn't you read my messages? I didn't steal him, he followed me home from the Core. He was terrified. Everyone was looking for him. I tried to take him home but your door was locked and you have yet to give me a key, so I brought him here and messaged you, Fuckstick."

Seraph fished her phone from her pocket and unlocked it to read his messages at last. Her hands were shaking as the realization washed over her that the trauma she had endured could have been completely avoided.

 ** _"_** ** _Your cat got out. He followed me home. I tried to take him back but you're not home."_**

 _ **"I guess you're busy so I won't call, but let me know when you get home. I'll keep him at mine until then."**_

She felt the tears once again prickling at her eyes but this time she couldn't hold them back so she simply let a few roll down her face before wiping them away. She perched herself on the front of the arm chair Adam and Gremlin were on and hid her face in her hands. It was too much. Gremlin was safe and she was relieved, but she was also frustrated that she had gone through what she had to find him, and then there was the guilt of having jumped to conclusions and snapping at Adam. She felt like a complete idiot.

"I'm sorry."

"You crying?" Adam reached over himself with his free arm over to rub her back as she let everything out. Gremlin was using his other arm as a guardrail and moving that would only cause chaos.

"You'd cry too if Pop Fizz and Trigger Happy tried to kidnap you to take you to a gremlin nightclub!" Saying it out loud brought a soft chuckle to her voice as she finally gained control of her emotions and calmed down. She reached out towards the coffee table and grabbed a tissue to dry her eyes and blow her nose. It sounded so stupid when she voiced it like that and she wasn't surprised when Adam snickered. If things had been reversed she was sure that she would have howled with laughter at his scandalized tone.

"Seriously?" She didn't even have to look at him to hear the smirk in his voice. He had stopped rubbing her back but that was fine. She had herself under control now and didn't need any more comforting.

"They'd heard that I was looking for a gremlin and when I told them that neither of them were what I was searching for, they decided that a nightclub filled with gremlins was the answer." The cat's ear twitched when he heard his name. He opened his blue eye and watched her keenly as she leaned over to stroke his side, resulting in a chorus of purring loud enough to vibrate his entire body. Seraph smiled and continued to stroke his silken fur. "I'm surprised he took to you so well. The last time you met him, you could barely get a pet in before he'd swat at you and scamper away."

"Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are. When I heard the others calling out for a kitty around the Core, I thought it was some odd kind of game but then I heard him mewling pathetically as he trotted beside me and I knew something was wrong. I got him home as discreetly as possible before messaging you. When you didn't reply, I decided to return him myself. I completely expected him to carve me up when I picked him up and tucked him into my jacket but all I got was purring and kneading. Your door was locked so I brought him back here where he would be safe and warm and he hasn't left me alone since. He's so needy! I couldn't even finish my mission report. He took to sitting on my laptop and swatting my hands away when I tried to move him. He destroyed my living room when I left him to take a shower, so I couldn't even do that. I was half undressed when I heard one of my dragon statues shatter. How do you cope? How does your place survive while you're not there?"

"He has plenty of toys to amuse him, although he has taken to escaping through the bathroom window. I'll need to have that screen fixed. I leave it open during the day for fresh air."

"Tell you what. Close it when you get home if you haven't already done so and I'll come around tomorrow morning before my assignment and see what I can do. I used to help my mother replace ruined screens when I was a younger. Shouldn't be too hard."

"Alright. Although I should tell you that it's not the screen that's loose, it's the frame that the screen is in. It's a little bent and doesn't lock in properly."

"I'm sure I can work something out." The male portal master closed his eyes but soon opened them again as the cat was removed from his chest. He watched Seraph move to the free arm chair beside his and curl up with her cat.  
"I'm going to stay a while longer, if that's alright. I want to make sure everyone out there has gone to bed and I want to give my cabin time to warm back up. I returned to open the door in case he came home while I was out. It's freezing in there."

"Mi casa es tu casa. Stay as long as you need to."

* * *

 _Originally written as a thank you for Seraph of Enigma_  
 _Thank you for always offering a voice of reason to my rants, and for tolerating my ship rambles, and now for your assistance with my project._

 _Good friendships are not always throwing insults at each other and laughing them off. Supportive friendships are just as important as the dank love/hate ones._

 _-Adam_


	3. Shining Future

**Shining Future**

The sensation of stepping off the master portal was something that he would probably never get used to. It always took a few heartbeats for his head to stop spinning and for his stomach to settle, but working in Skylands with the Skylanders was something that Taylor would never give up. The adventure and excitement provided a marvelous break from his 'normal,' everyday life and he loved it. On Earth he was just another teenager, just another person blending into the crowd, but here in Skylands he was a hero, he was making a difference and he was doing something that so few others would ever be able to experience. He'd be a fool to give all that up simply because the portal made him feel queasy.  
A moment of hesitation later, Taylor began to carefully make his way down the carved stone stairs from the elevated platform that held the master portal. The Tech orientated portal master barely had to think about the path he had to take. He had traveled these naturally occurring tunnels countless times before and his feet just seemed to know which way to go. The familiar stone corridor honeycombed here and there as it crossed with other paths that stretched out below the Citadel. The final leg of the journey came as a relief, the wonderful sight of the roughly carved stone steps ascending from the dusty underground chamber and out into the welcoming daylight brought out that familiar swirl of excitement within his stomach. His lungs were also thankful for the fresh air. He inhaled deeply before setting out to log himself in for work.

Skylands was so beautiful this time of year. The Summer months were coming to an end and the cooler Autumn change was on its way. The skies were clear, bar the odd cloud here and there, and if you looked hard enough the next island over was just visible without the aid of the far-viewer. The heat was uncomfortable of course, but several trees around the rebuilt citadel offered ample shade to those who sought it. Those who wished could also visit the beach in between or after missions to cool down and relax. Eon's island was a paradise and Taylor considered himself lucky to be assigned here for his duties.  
The Tech portal master ran a hand through the dark, curled mess of hair atop his head as he made his way towards the common area, a section of the ever growing island set aside for casual and part time Portal Masters to log themselves in to the server and receive their missions, to meet with friends and to relax in between missions. Housed here were several buildings, a cafeteria, a library for research and paperwork, a toilet and shower block and a building dedicated to housing the computers. This building was the first stop for every casual or part time portal master entering Skylands, as it was here that the terminals to sign in and receive missions were housed. Further back behind the cluster of structures sat the dorm building. Like most of the newer buildings, the dorm had been built from red brick and was several stories high, dotted with evenly spaced glass windows. It housed the assigned dorm rooms reserved for the more dedicated part timers, those willing and able to spend a little longer in Skylands. Each room contained two single beds, two desks and two sets of drawers. Each room was assigned to two portal masters by Hugo, Master Eon's chubby mabu assistant. Taylor had access to such a room but he hardly used it. He liked the thought of it being there should he need it though, and so he had decided to keep it, at least for now. 

Adjusting his glasses as he entered the administration building, Taylor moved to a vacant terminal and punched in his login information. The teen was surprised when he opened his inbox and found no assignments waiting. Usually he had at least one, sometimes two or three if they were simple and not urgent. Surely Skylands was not so peaceful that there was nothing for him to do? Perhaps it was simply a glitch and logging out then back in would correct it. Before he could try however the terminal pinged to announce the arrival of a message. His eyes bugged slightly as the preview displayed the name of the sender, Seraph, one of Master Eon's senior portal masters that helped the spectral portal master in his day to day dealings. If she was contacting him then something big must have happened, or he was in trouble for something. He couldn't remember doing anything, but still, the instant anxiety over a possible slight overwhelmed him. Gingerly he touched the screen with a shaking finger to open the message.

 _To: TaylorMan2274  
Subject: future  
From: Seraph_

 _Taylor,_  
 _Master Eon has requested your presence at the citadel to meet with either Hugo, Adam or myself to discuss a personal matter. While not urgent, we would like to see it resolved as quickly as possible. Please visit the Citadel at your earliest convenience and state your business to the receptionist. From there you will be directed to one of us and the matter can be resolved._  
 _Thank you for your cooperation in advance,_  
 _-Senior Portal Master Seraph._

Taylor let out a breath that he hadn't realized that he'd been holding. The message hadn't said anything about being in trouble with the big shots, but it had stated that this was a personal matter. He was completely stumped as to what that could mean and there was only one way to find out, although the thought of actually holding a meeting with Master Eon or his assistants was terrifying it would have to be done so with a look of determination that he didn't quite feel, Taylor set off towards the Citadel. 

The walk to the castle was as uneventful as ever. A few of the Skylanders and Portal Masters called out to him as he passed and he offered each one the same smile and wave as he had given the others. It was a polite way to let them know that he couldn't stop and chat, but as the minutes ticked by and the castle grew bigger with each step, he found himself desperately wishing that something would prevent him from having to meet with anyone important. However nothing came up and no one stopped him from following the stone path that lead to the stairs. Each step up left his body feeling heavier, his legs were starting to shake and he felt like throwing up. The thought of being banished from Skylands was nauseating. Where had he gone wrong? What had he done? Was this his final day in the world he loved so much? 

"Are you okay?" Taylor visibly jumped as the soft little voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked to his right to find the source and was surprised to see a pale furred mabu woman looking up at him with soulful, chocolate eyes. She wore a colourful, flower patterned sundress with a bright pink blossom tucked behind her left ear. Her tiny feet were bare, as most mabu preferred, and she seemed perfectly at ease on the front stairs of the Citadel. Perhaps she worked here? If she did then she would be able to point him to reception.  
"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Do you by chance work here?" 

"Sure do! My name's Stella. I'm the receptionist here at the Citadel. If there's anything I can help you with I'd be more than happy to!"  
Taylor stared at her stupidly for a moment before he chuckled awkwardly. "That's weirdly perfect actually. I was going to ask which way to reception. I have a meeting with one of the tops but I have no idea where I'm going." 

"Easy fix! Follow me and I'll see who's available and send you on your way." The tiny mabu giggled to herself as she hopped up the remaining stairs and lead the young human through the grand entrance hallway to a curved, wooden desk at the end. Two massive, ascending stone staircases framed the desk on either side. Both started near the ends of the desk and curved out before curving back in and connecting to the landing of the second floor. It reminded Taylor very much of a fairytale castle. He suddenly felt very small standing at the desk and looking up. Was that where he'd have to go? The mabu seemed to read his mind and chuckled again as she hopped behind the desk and tapped a key to wake her computer.  
"That's Master Eon's Auditorium up there. Only Hugo, Seraph and Adam go up there, and sometimes the odd Skylander, but you won't have to unless you're in real trouble. You're not, are you?" 

"What? No! Of course not. I got a message from Seraph asking me to come here as soon as possible to resolve some issue. I have no idea why I'm here."  
There was suddenly a dangerous light to Stella's eyes as the mabu watched from from behind her screen. "Just checking. You can never be too careful you know. Alrighty sir, what's your name?" 

Taylor hesitated, the change in Stella had been immediate, but it had only lasted a brief moment before she was back to what he assumed to be her normal self. It was almost creepy.  
"Uh, Taylor. Portal Master TaylorMan2274." 

"Alrighty then. Give me a moment." The mabu clicked her tongue softly as she typed away furiously. "Looks like Seraph is currently free. So what you're gonna do is walk down the hallway to your right ignoring all the doors along the way. The room you want is directly at the end of the hallway. It'll have a few cubicles in it but the desk you want will be at the back of the room on the left side of the big ol' wooden door. If you get confused just look for a name plaque but I think you'll manage. I'll shoot her a message to let her know you're coming. Good luck Taylor!" 

"Right. Thank you Stella." Taylor nodded his head to the mabu as he turned to follow the hallway beyond the foot of the staircase. Large windows allowed glorious amounts of light to splash into the corridor and prevented the suffocating feeling most stone buildings gave off. Rich red carpet with gold edging ran down the centre of the corridor and gave everything a soft glow as the light bounced off it. Stone arched doorways with mahogany doors decorated the inner wall with an ancient looking iron sconce between each door. Briefly Taylor wondered if these had been salvaged from the ruins of the previous were beautiful, although they held nothing to burn to provide light during the night. Perhaps they were enchanted and once the hallway was dark enough magic flames would rekindle to provide light. He didn't get long to think about it as the end of the hallway drew nearer. At the end a large stone arch without a door welcomed him into a large, well lit room with a fair few cubicles, exactly as Stella had said. So this was where the top (A) ranked portal masters worked when not on missions. Each cubicle had three walls with the fourth side left completely open, a large desk with a computer, a very comfortable looking office chair and a filing cabinet as standard. Everything else was completely personal. Each Portal Master had decorated their own space with colour and trinkets dear to them. There was a comfortable vibe to the room despite the office like appearance. It set his mind at ease as he walked past the cubicles. 

As he came to the end of the room his heart rate increased. He saw the large wooden door with a desk on either side of it. Unlike the other work spaces in the room, these two desks had no walls to hide them, however, just like the others they had a computer and were decorated with personal items. Behind one desk sat a petite blonde woman with her long hair pulled neatly back and behind the other sat a slender man with short, dark hair that had been frosted grey at the ends. It wasn't hard to guess who they were. Senior Portal Masters Seraph of Enigma and XandyPants, more commonly known as Seraph and Adam. He had heard of them but he had never met them. They were the portal masters chosen by Eon to lead the other portal masters and to act in his stead. Seraph was known for her dedication and organizational skills. She loved a challenge and could breeze through her work like it was nothing. The Light element portal master was also known for her kindness and understanding. Her willingness to help made her the more approachable of the two seniors. Taylor was relieved that she was the one he was going to see.  
Adam, while not unpleasant, was noticeably less reliable than his colleague. The Life Portal Master was friendly enough, and always willing to help where he could, but he was a known procrastinator and certainly not a morning person. Those unfortunate enough to have worked with him before midday had witnessed a man vastly different to the senior the public knew. A known flirt to both men and women, Taylor was unsure of how he would have handled speaking to Adam about whatever this was about.  
Perched on the end of Adam's desk facing Seraph, Stealth Elf eyed the new arrival silently as she twirled one of her daggers lazily with her fingers. The mask usually worn to cover her mouth hung loosely around her neck while her long, blue braided hair had been draped over her left shoulder. Taylor had never seen the famous Skylander so relaxed and casual. Was this the kind of relationship the (A) ranked portal masters shared with their Skylander colleges? As if to further illustrate the point a long, drawn out yawn sounded from behind him. Turning around slowly, Taylor came face to face with one of the most recognisable skylanders there was. Iconic purple scales and a smug looking face, Spyro bowed to the portal master and casually walked passed to reach a large cushion that had been left on the floor between the two desks.  
Seraph had noticed him by then and was smiling politely at him while she waited patiently for him to approach. Taylor felt his cheeks warm up as he smiled awkwardly and shuffled towards the chair on the other side of her desk. "Sorry," he mumbled as he pulled the chair out and took a seat.  
"All good," the woman reassured him with the same polite smile. "First time seeing the 'perma' office? It's different to what everyone expects, not all business and serious faces. I don't think we'd end up doing half our work if we were constantly stressed out."  
"Probably not," Adam chimed in from behind his own desk as he turned away to focus on his computer screen. Stealth too politely turned her attention elsewhere to give Seraph and Taylor some privacy. She eased off the desk and instead walked around to stand behind Adam to watch the screen over his shoulder.  
Between the desks and in front of the massive door, Spyro gave another jaw cracking yawn and stretched his front legs out much like a scaly cat, his claws flexing as far as he could stretch them before tucking his legs in close to his body and curling up on the cushion. He looked so peaceful and quite unlike the image Taylor was sure everyone had of the heroic leader of the Skylanders. Seraph seemed to notice his stare and chuckled softly from behind her own computer screen as she typed away. "It's the only place he can find any peace and quiet lately. He's constantly hounded by Portal Masters when he's out and about the island and his fellow Skylanders always seem to need his help with menial tasks when he's at the Skylander barracks. He won't be disturbed here, Adam and I make sure of it. Oh! But don't worry, once he dozes off he's a very heavy sleeper, our meeting won't disturb him." 

"It's just weird seeing him like this. He always looks so full of energy and ready for anything." Taylor took a moment more to eye the snoozing dragon before he turned his attention back to Seraph. His shoulders tensed when he realized she was about to start.  
"You can relax. You're not in any trouble. Master Eon simply wished for us to discuss your future. For some time now we have been observing your work. We keep an eye on everyone but there are a select few that really stand out from the crowd. You are one such person and we are really impressed with your efforts. Master Eon would like to extend an invitation to you to become a permanent portal master, or at the very least to join the top five percent of the part-timers. This would include more duties and work, and your name will become known to those below you. You have the potential certainly, but we feel you currently lack the drive. If you were to remain at your current level of effort, although impressive, then I'm afraid that could mean surrendering your dorm space to someone willing to put the extra effort we need. I know this is a lot to take in so we don't expect an answer from you immediately, but an answer within the next month would be appreciated. If obligations on Earth are holding you back then let us know and I'm sure something can be arranged. Now that that's all out of the way, do you have any questions?" 

"Ah, no, I don't think so." Taylor scratched at the back of his head as he reclined back. It was a lot to take in and he wasn't sure what he wanted to do. On the one hand it would be a lot of work and he would need to be in Skylands a lot more than he currently was. He would get the chance to bond with the elite Skylanders and become a known figure among the portal master ranks. On the other hand he would lose his dorm if he didn't. He would still be able to travel to and walk Skylands but he wouldn't have the option to spend the night and rest between assignments. He wouldn't lose his (B) ranking but he would be treated more like a casual than he cared for. There was a certain charm to having your own space in a different world.  
"Take your time Taylor and carefully consider just what you want. You have a shining future among our ranks but we do understand that this career line is not for everyone. If, at any time, you find yourself wanting advice, Adam and I are always willing to offer guidance." 

"Thank you. Yeah, I think I'll take a little time to think things over, if that's alright." 

The blonde woman nodded and typed something quickly before wiggling her mouse and clicking. She had probably just updated the case. "Perfectly so. In the meantime I have a couple of missions if you're interested." 

"Oh, sure. I've got the time to spare."  
"Alright, well, to give you a taste of the kind of work we do you've got two choices. You can either go with Adam, Stealth and Trigger Happy to a mabu kite flying festival as a representative of Master Eon and to ensure that the event runs smoothly, or you can follow a lead we have on a gang of rogue spell punks terrorizing the Shining Shores. You would be heading a small team of Skylanders, Spyro when he wakes up, Cynder and Jet Vac. Not too difficult but you will be the only portal master assigned and you would have final say on all decisions your team makes." 

The Tech inclined portal master eyed Adam and Stealth as they whispered to each other and pointed to different parts of the screen. They were probably working out the finer points of their mission. They already shared what seemed to be a pretty relaxed relationship and going with them to the festival would probably be rather awkward. "I'll take the spell punks."  
"I'll pretend not to be offended," Adam snorted. Stealth shoved his shoulder lightly before sending Taylor an apologetic look, or perhaps it was embarrassment. He couldn't rightly tell. Either way it didn't matter. He gave her a small smile in return to let her know all was well before accepting a sheet of paper from Seraph with his mission details printed for him to study. 

"Departure time is in an hour and a half. That should give you enough time to prepare yourself and for Spyro to rest up. We'll wake him up and send him to you fifteen minutes before departure. Your other charges will meet you at the docks when Spyro does, and thank you for meeting with us so promptly. It is appreciated" 

"Alright, thank you Seraph." Standing from his chair, the teen gave the office one last glance before heading towards the door. If he became a 'perma' then he too would have his very own desk in here. There was no telling the crazy shenanigans that went on in here when no one else was looking. 

"Watch it," a sharp voice snapped as he walked out the door and narrowly avoided hitting someone walking in. She was a tall woman with a sharp yet beautiful face. Her expression was severe and her posture rigid. Her short cropped black hair and an ice cold stare were enough clues for him to recognize her as Undead Prowess. She was one of the least approachable permanent portal masters and a constant source of fear for the lower ranks. Her temper was legendary and absolutely no one wanted to be on her bad side. Simply breathing around her was enough to upset her, or so the rumors told.  
"S-sorry," he stuttered as he quickly moved to the side to let her pass. She said nothing else as she walked by with her head held high and Taylor found he was grateful for it. With no reason to linger he picked up the pace and made for the end of the hallway. It seemed his life was about to take an interesting turn, for better or for worse.

* * *

 _A little something written for TaylorMan2274. You've got the patience of a saint dude. Thank you so much for showing interest in my project. I really hope you enjoy this._


End file.
